Do I need to bother with oxygen absorbers?

[Thegoblinchief]

I just got a grain mill and will soon be preparing a bulk order of grain. I know that storing the grain in the paper sacks is asking for trouble. So I'm looking at food safe plastic buckets with either all Gamma lids, or the typical recommendation of mostly hammer-on lids plus a Gamma for the current 'draw' bucket. Haven't found anywhere with free buckets, probably because I'm losing out to the frugal weirdo competition.

If it makes a difference, I will be storing mainly wheat, corn, dry beans, oats (initially rolled, but I may get a flaker to make my own rolled oats), and brown rice (the rice will be in the deep freezer to avoid rancidity).

-I know Gamma seals can't be used with oxygen absorbers because of the negative pressure.

-Do I even need oxygen absorbers? I am NOT doing long-term storage here. I am storing for at most 12 months, with maybe a 6 month buffer once we get the system down.

I know there's a fair number of people around here who do food storage and want some input. Thanks!

[Gone Fishing]

I'd try to put more in the deep freeze if there is room.  If nothing else, rotating the new stock through the freezer for the prescribed time to kill off any weevils.  How much are the oxygen absorbers?  Will they offset a significant portion of the savings?  Have you looked into using dry ice to displace the oxygen?  Storing the grains whole will help preserve them, then just roll as needed or maybe a month supply at a time. 

[Thegoblinchief]

The absorbers aren't expensive, just seeing if they're actually necessary.

The grain will be stored whole. It will be a pain rotating stuff through the freezer, but I see that recommendation enough that it's probably necessary.

[Indio]

Have you considered storing it in the mylar bags with O2 absorbers? The bags are cheaper than gamma lids but they arent thick enough to keep out critters.

I havent tried it but Ive heard people dry can with low heat for longer shelf life.

[ioseftavi]

Goblinchief-

Look into "storing bulk grain" on any active homebrewing forum.  Common question, and lots of different systems out there.  I personally used the plastic mil-spec bags, tied off, and then put them in a plastic food-grade 5 gallon bucket.  Should do the trick if you're keeping things indoors in a cool, dry place.  If you're storing outside, look into stuff like rubbermaid bins with a rubber gasket - something with an airtight seal.  Make sure the material is tough enough that critters won't be able to get in there, and make sure the lid can't be knocked off easily.

EDIT: to actually answer your damn question: No, you do not need O2 absorbers, if you've got a good airtight system.  Grain will keep 6 mos to a year in a cool dry container.  Keeping it unmilled is best.

[Thegoblinchief]

Have you considered storing it in the mylar bags with O2 absorbers? The bags are cheaper than gamma lids but they arent thick enough to keep out critters.

I havent tried it but Ive heard people dry can with low heat for longer shelf life.

I've seen the Mylar methods, but I prefer to avoid disposable things whenever possible.

[Indio]

I wouldnt recommend throwing them out. They are definitely reusable!

[Rezdent]

Whole grains can be kept quite a while without 02 absorbers but be especially  diligent about freezing for a week before hand to eliminate any chance of moths or weevils.  I skipped this step once because I  figured the fancy whole paycheck type place would have obviously taken care of this.  I will always freeze in the future.  It was heartbreaking to open that bucket.

I saw a method that used tea candles to exhaust oxygen and I tried it.  Technically, it worked but the lid got really hot and I was really nervous.  I don't recommend  that method to anyone, and besides the grain stores well enough without it.

I store in foodgrade 5 gallon  buckets but I don't use gamma lids for all of them - just one gamma lid for the "in use" bucket.  I use regular lids on the others and I hammer them on to make sure they are sealed.  The regular  lids are cheaper and seem to seal better for us than the gamma but of course YMMV.

You can sometimes  get used buckets from restaurants and they work fine except you may *never* get the pickle smell out of them even after years of use.  I once  put white sugar in a former pickle bucket and my family pretty much stopped using sugar and never went back  :)  However the sugar was fine for recipes so I considered that a win.

[Thegoblinchief]

Whole grains can be kept quite a while without 02 absorbers but be especially  diligent about freezing for a week before hand to eliminate any chance of moths or weevils.  I skipped this step once because I  figured the fancy whole paycheck type place would have obviously taken care of this.  I will always freeze in the future.  It was heartbreaking to open that bucket.

Maybe silly question, but do you freeze after putting the grain in the buckets or before? I'm guessing after?

You can sometimes  get used buckets from restaurants and they work fine except you may *never* get the pickle smell out of them even after years of use.  I once  put white sugar in a former pickle bucket and my family pretty much stopped using sugar and never went back  :)  However the sugar was fine for recipes so I considered that a win.

I have heard the pickle horror story from quite a few people, lol. It's pretty much seared in my brain now.

[Rezdent]

Maybe silly question, but do you freeze after putting the grain in the buckets or before? I'm guessing after?

Not a silly question - I had to think this one through,  too.  I freeze before putting in buckets because buckets don't fit in our freezer. Often, a bag of wheat won't fit either.  I put stuff in smaller bags and stuff them wherever they fit in the freezer.  Even then, I've had to do it in batches.  I empty still frozen grains into buckets and seal immediately.
I've always worried that condensation would happen inside the bucket as grain thawed but it hasn't happened to me yet.  I've been doing it for over 20 years now.

I have heard the pickle horror story from quite a few people, lol. It's pretty much seared in my brain now.

It's true.  But I do it anyway because I have a source for pickle buckets and can't get the smell out.

I'm just selective about what goes in the pickle-y ones.

Sugar? sure, since we only use it for cooking and the smell disappears in the process.  Even jams and preserves come out great.
Oatmeal? no way - because the starchiness would absorb a lot of odor plus we usually eat it as raw, soaked  muesli.

[Dicey]

The Mormons probably have all the answers about food storage and are generous with their knowledge. Search something like "LDS Food Storage" for a wealth of information. I see that you're not interested in storing for extremely long periods, but the methods are probably pretty similar, no matter how long you want to store the food/grain. Also, they sell supplies and welcome anyone interested in food storage.

[Metta]

I just got a grain mill and will soon be preparing a bulk order of grain. I know that storing the grain in the paper sacks is asking for trouble. So I'm looking at food safe plastic buckets with either all Gamma lids, or the typical recommendation of mostly hammer-on lids plus a Gamma for the current 'draw' bucket. Haven't found anywhere with free buckets, probably because I'm losing out to the frugal weirdo competition.

If it makes a difference, I will be storing mainly wheat, corn, dry beans, oats (initially rolled, but I may get a flaker to make my own rolled oats), and brown rice (the rice will be in the deep freezer to avoid rancidity).

-I know Gamma seals can't be used with oxygen absorbers because of the negative pressure.

-Do I even need oxygen absorbers? I am NOT doing long-term storage here. I am storing for at most 12 months, with maybe a 6 month buffer once we get the system down.

I know there's a fair number of people around here who do food storage and want some input. Thanks!

I use food safe buckets with gamma lids and I love them. I don't know that the oxygen packets do much good. The critical thing is the gamma lid to keep out the critters.

+1 to the suggestion about Mormons and food storage. The other thing I recommend is that you buy your long-term stored food from the Mormon suppliers. I've had the best luck with their food items. They seem much cleaner and do not come with bugs. I use Honeyville for my stuff but I understand you can also order from other Mormon suppliers.

[Thegoblinchief]

Metta - thank you so much for this recommendation! I'd looked at some Mormon suppliers before, but they seemed expensive, but Honeyville is very similar to the price of the other outfit I'd been looking at (Country Life Natural Foods, which is regional).

A Mustachian friend had recommended CLNF to me, but her buying habits are different than my own, so this recommendation means a lot.